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Aaron wasn't most people though, and it's not as if his profession was one that would be ruined by a criminal record.

It's not just about profession. Being labeled a felon is a serious pain in the ass and follows you for the rest of your life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony#United_States

Besides all the restrictions, there's also the stigma attached to it.

That housing rental one is huge. Most people forget about that one. It has the potential to seriously effect your quality of life.

In practice he would have been fine.

I would not be so sure. Stardom fades fast, particularly considering the fandom around him really only kicked it up a notch after he died. Check out the general sentiment of him on HN before he died; most people thought he was whinging.

Maybe he could find some people to help him out 5 years from now. Maybe even 10 or 20, but for how long would he be able to rely on that?

Enough to not worry about getting someone to rent an apartment to or for him, at least. And expunging a non-violent felony after some period of time isn't that hard.

He wasn't most people _because_ he wasn't the sort to submit to such a demeaning choice.

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